Comments on: lazy gals survival guide : simple eating

By: Gina

Gina

We are totally on this food journey too! Just the last couple months we have been in purging out pantry and refigerator/freezer mode. The main things we are doing is tryng to eat just whole foods and everything non GMO. We switched our wheat flour to non GMO wheat and it has already made a big difference in my husband’s health. We have never been hamburger helper type people,but did slip a lot in stuff like graham crackers with HFC and well a lot of condiment type products with HFC in it. Also did the cake mix and cool whip thing a lot along with too many sweets in general. Some big helps fpr me have been heavenly homemakers,don’t waste the crumbs,and kitchen stewardship. They have lots of great recipes that are so super easy. I was totally succumbing to the whole more gourmet cooking light type recipes which I still do like to make sometimes,but these recipes are so simple and doable on an everyday basis. Totally recommend these blogs. Think healthy versions of hamburger helper,awesome mac’n cheese(cook the noodles in milk instead of water to create the sauce-who knew!). I still have a lot more to learn and do,but at least we are headed in the right direction. Healthy bodies for the Lord is our goal!

By: Nancy

Nancy

I try to keep healthier versions of various foods in the house, but we are by no means all the way there. When the kids whine about wanting fuit rollups or other foods that they see advertised on tv, I have them look at the ingredients list and nutrition labels and compare the ones that I won’t buy to the ones that I would deem acceptable, (fruit as the first and primary ingredient.) One day during a heated discussion in the cereal aisle, my eldest DS, then about 9 or 10 yrs old made a Freudian slip and called the cereal that he wanted to pick out “Craptain Crunch” and I replied, that is exactly why I’m not buying it! On a rare occasion such as a holiday or birthday, I will pick up a box as a special treat, but I try to remind my boys that it is all about balance. Healthy food before treat food and that no food is truly forbidden, it might mean that you only have it once a year (if that.) It’s about teaching them to read the labels, to understand the difference between 100% juice vs. juice cocktail or juice beverage; to look at the fat content, amount of fibre and sugar and what the first ingredient listed is.
As for my kids arguement for Kool Aid, I tell them I buy it to dye fabric and wool for craft projects and if something I dyed 20 yrs ago is still as bright and unfaded as it was when I made it, then imagine what it is doing to your insides.
While I like the idea of planning meals out for an entire week or month, in reality I find I tend to get inspired by what’s on sale or looks fresh in the store. I try to pick up several options which include some meals that can be made quickly for fright night when there are several activities going on and some meals that take longer, but all too often in my life, I plan to make something in particular and then before I know it, 6:00 rolls around and I haven’t started dinner and it is too late to start what I originally planned which brings me back to plan b, (or plan c…)
Thanks for the inspiration to pay more attention to what I put our plates.

By: ashley @ the handmade home

ashley @ the handmade home

In reply to Momof5. Hey! I've thought of doing that, but didn't know how they would turn out. They really do taste okay? I'm going to have to try it!

By: Momof5

Momof5

This school year I started to make my kids’ sanwiches for the week on Sunday evening. We put them in the freezer for them to grab each morning while packing their own lunches! We have made ham, turkey (both with cheese & condiments) and PBJ. The kids say they taste like a fresh made sammy! Big time and money saver and healthier than a lunchable!

By: Pamela

Pamela

Congrats on the start of your journey. Like any trip, there will be detours, but just smile and get back on the path. This is a wonderful time in your children’s lives to make this change as well. Once they hit the pre-teens/teens, they need more food and will be partially responsible for their own food choices (I’m talking Jr high and High school lunches). You will be thankful that they eat an apple and yogurt instead cookies, and for-go the Red Bull, etc., because it just tastes weird!
Also, I’ve found the following blog to be an excellent site for both recipes (she even has a healthy homemade poptart recipe, listed under bread and breakfast), and inspiration. http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/

By: Laura G.

Laura G.

In reply to Laura G.. P.S. I lost TEN pounds when we changed our eating habits!!

By: Laura G.

Laura G.

OH MY GOSH, I LOVE PALMETTO CHEESE!!! 🙂
Seriously though, it’s crazy that you are posting this, because Baron & I have been trying to do this same thing! Last summer he was reading up on the Paleo diet, and started to become interested in it. We decided to make a lifestyle change, and use the Paleo lifestyle as inspiration. We don’t follow that diet by any means (we love beans. and milk. and cheese.) but we have cut WAY back on our processed foods (bye bye, Kraft mac & cheese, Stouffer’s, & party pizzas) and have increased our produce consumption. And we want our kids to eat the same way. Kudos to you for starting this journey! It’s tough for sure. Yesterday I ate Doritos & felt super guilty. It’s a process. 🙂

By: Valarie N

Valarie N

I’m with you! I look forward to each post in this series. I’ve been on a journey of simplicity for about 2 yrs now with my husband and 4 children. It all started with my 8 yr old getting migraines, how horrible for a child to get migraines, and I felt horrible knowing that what she ate( what I fed her) could be causing it. So I started researching, which brought me to 100daysofrealfood.com, awesome site and so inspiring. Since switching to real food, my now 10 yr old has been migraine free!!! It was not an easy process, but so worth it. My kids behavior has improved drastically, as well as our health. the first 6 months was pretty rough, mostly because they wanted those cereals they see on Tv, and they would always request them. But we have all gotten used to it. I say “no” less often simply because we don’t have junk in the house that I have to control. They can eat anything they want, because it is only good options. Living simply has naturally spread to other areas in our life!!! Keep at it because it is soo worth it for you and your family!!!

By: Nathalia

Nathalia

More on the topic of purging than on food, but I think it fits the topic of “less is more”.
My professor was talking about consumerism the other day, and I immediately thought of you and your purging project. He mentioned a book called Affluenza by James de Graaf, which you might find interesting. (Affluenza as a mixture between Influenza and Affluence). It’s about having a lot of stuff, but not growing happier in proportion.
This is a link to the wikipedia article for it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affluenza

By: Tennille

Tennille

In reply to Tennille. sorry, it's thenourishinggourmet.com. lots of super yummy, healthy, easy recipes.